ADVERTISERS TARGETING CHILDREN Part II

(6) Governments’ approaches to controlling advertising to children vary, and differ from one country to another. In Sweden, one of the strictest countries where advertising is concern ed, TV advertising to children under the age of 12 is banned. Greece bans television advertisements for children’s toys between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Other countries, such as Denmark and the Netherlands, also have legal controls whereas France, Britain and Germany prefer self-regulation, arguing that the television industry should regulate itself and bring out a ‘code of good conduct ’.

(7) Some countries are not as certain as the Swedes that advertising to children is harmful. The French argue that children need to see many advertisements so that they can develop their ability to think as they grow up. The belief is that advertising will help children to be more aware of its persuasive power.

(8) This all means that there is little hope that the situation will be resolved by any kind of cross-European regulations. ‘Because some countries are much more relaxed than others about advertising to children, the European Union is unable at present to have a common approach to the problem. Until the majority of member states are as sure as the Swedes of the harmful nature of advertising, the current indecision will continue,’ concludes Taylor.

Activity 2.6. In the text above find examples of Passive.

Activity 2.7.M ake up your own sentences with these words:

1) Advertising manager, 2) advertiser, 3) aimed at, 4) animated cartoon, 5) approach to, 6) children under the age of..., 7) (TV) commercial, 8) code, 9) concern about (n), 10) cross-European, 11) entertainment programme, 12) gimmick, 13) imaginative, 14) influence on (n), 15) manufacturer, 16) persuasive, 17) sponsor (n), 18) target.